Diver&#39;s suit



Aug. 2, 1949. c. A. OSTBY, .JR

DIVER S SUIT 2 Sheets-Shet 1 Filed May 15, 1945 IN V EN TOR. c/m/a ,4.0mm), MA.

Aug. 2,1949.

C. A. OSTBY, JR

DIVER S SUIT 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 15; 1945 INVENTOR. CHE/6' ,4.flJ/A'fKd/fi ATTORNE Patented Aug. 2, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEDIVERS SUIT Chris A. Ostby, Jr., Mishawaka, Ind., assignor to UnitedStates Rubber Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New JerseyApplication May 15, 1945, Serial No. 593,811

1 Claim. 1

This invention relates to a snug fitting, light Weight diving suitformed of stretchable waterproof material arranged in the suit tocontract and stretch with the movement .of the body and limbs of theperson wearing the suit.

Diving suits as used heretofore have been large, bulky and heavy,resulting in discomfort to the wearer and a lowering of his efficiency.The primary reason why these prior suits were bulky was that they weremade of heavy waterproof material that would not stretch to accommodatethe insertion of the wearers arms and legs into the suit or the freedomof his body movement, and therefore had to be made much larger than theperson wearing the suit in order that he could get into the suit.

Another cause .of the weight and bulkiness of the diving suits employedheretofore was due to the means employed for supplying air to the diverwhile submerged. Such diving suits were commonly provided with a heavymetal helmet bolted to a metal frame or receptacle enclosing the upperportion of the body of the diver. The air which the diver breathed waspumped into the divers suit so that it partially inflated the suit andincreased its resistance to the freedom of movement of the wearer, andsince these suits were used to confine air under pressure they were madenonstretchable so that they would not expand and blow up like an elasticballoon.

The diving suit contemplated by the present invention differs radicallyfrom the prior diving suit above briefly described, in that the presentdiving suit is made stretchable so that it will fit the body of thewearer closely but will yield in the limb encircling direction to permitthe divers hands and feet to be fully inserted as he puts on the suit.

One important feature of the present suit resides in the constructionwhereby it is worn in a non-air-inflated condition. That is. the airwhich is supplied to the diver so that he may breathe when submergeddoes not enter the diving suit to inflate it but is supplied to a maskwhich fits snugly over the face of the diver and the air is confined tothe interior of this mask. Since the present suit is not required toconfine air that is pumped to the diver under pressure it does not haveto resist the expansion caused by internal air pressure and thereforemay be made of stretchable material. By making the present diving suitstretchable so that it may conform closely to the body and limbs of thewearer and by employing the construction whereby air is supplied to theface of the diver without inflating the suit, a light weight,stretchable, close-fitting suit is secured, which permits the diverwearing the same to work much more effectively in the water thanheretofore.

A primary feature of the present invention therefore resides in a snugfitting diving suit that is worn in the water in a non-air-inflatedcondition and which is made largely of a stretchable waterproof materialformed of a knitted fabric coated with rubber, and which material is sodisposed in the suit that it will stretch a substantial amount in thelimb encircling direction, so that although the suit is close-fittingthe diver may get into and out of the same and move his limbs freely.Another important feature of the present invention resides in theconstruction of the lower back portion of the suit so that this portionof the suit will stretch in a vertical direction to accommodate the bodymovement of the wearer when he bends forward at the waist.

The above and other features of the present invention will be more fullyunderstood from the following description when read in connection withthe accompanying drawings; wherein Fig. 1 is a front view of a diverwearing the suit contemplated by the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a rear view of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a side view of the suit of Fig. 1 shown fully extended butwithout the diver therein, and with the face mask removed;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of a piece of knitted, waterproof, stretchablefabric such as is preferably used throughout the greater portion of thepresent suit;

Fig. 5 is'an enlarged sectional view of a seam taken on line 5--5 ofFig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a side view of the upper portion of Fig. 1;

Fig. '7 is a perspective view of the mask as it appears when removedfrom the suit shown in Fig. 3;

Fig. 8 is a vertical sectional view through the helmet part of the suitand mask as worn by the diver in Fig. l; and

Fig. 9 is an enlarged longitudinal section view through the lowerportion of one of the sleeves of the diving suit.

The diving suit contemplated by the present invention is preferably madelargely of knitted waterproof material such as shown in Fig. 4 of thedrawing and which is capable of stretching at least 20% in the directionof the arrow in this view. This material consists of the knitted fabricIll having the rubber layer l I upon one face.

In making the divers suit contemplated by the present invention so thatit will fit the diver snugly, it is important to embody the stretchablefabric shown in Fig. 4 in the suit so that the sleeves of the suit willstretch in the arm encircling direction and the trouser portion of thesuit will stretch in the leg encircling direction as indicated by :thearrows shown in 3 of the drawing. The front .of the suit and the upperpart of the back thereof should stretch in the body encircling directionas indicated by the arrows so as to encircle the divers chest snugly butyieldingly. The lower back portion of the suit, however, should becotistrueted atogstreteh in a vertical direction as indicated ;by thearrow in Fig. 3 so that this portion of the ;suit may stretchlongitudinally when thewearerbends for-- ward at the waist. The knittedfabric 11) is of course disposed at the inner face of the suit.

The front portions l;2 of the suit, upper rear portion I3 sleeves4.4,.upper leg enclosin portions 15 and lower leg enclosing portions 16are .;all formed of thefabricshown in Fig.4 of the .drawing which isplaced in the suit so that it will stretch in the horizontal directionor body and so that it will stretch lengthwise of .the suit as indicatedby ,thearrow in ,Fig. 3 so that this portion of the suit may stretchlengthwise of the diver when he bends forwardat the waist.

The various .seams of the suit may be formed asshown in Fig. .5byplacing the marginal edge portions of .two pieces .of fabric inoverlapping relation and cementing them together so as to bond thefabric-face ll] .of .one to the rubberiace I lof the otheras shown. Theseam thus fprmed is preferably further strengthened ,and made watertightby securing ,along such seams astrip of trim tape 18.

The suit shown has attached thereto the light weight rubber shoes 1.9,but does not have ,gloves attached to thesleeves. .Itis thereforenecessary to providesleeves which fittightlyarpund-the wrists ofthe.diverso as tonprevent water from entering the suit .at this point. Itis desirable to make the lower portions -Z0.of the sleeves of rubbersheeting which not reinforced with fabricso that these lowersleeveportions will havea greater range of .stretch in the wristencircling direction than .theapproximate. 20,% above-,mentionedand alsoso that rubber atthe inner face of .thesleeve portion 20 will engagedirectly the wrist portions of the divers arms. The lower .edge pf eachsleeve portion 20 is provided with the rubber reinforcing tape ll.

The suit so far described is providedwith .a helmet or head enclosingportion which is permanently secured to the neck portion 22 .of thesuit. The rear portion 23 of the helmet is preferably formed .of .theknitted waterproof fabric shown in -shutt e fig t-nor a 9 hel. 1m ispreferably formed of rubber. sheet material 24 which is not reinforced.This v.front. ,portion 24 has the face opening 25,.and the marginalportion of the material 24 adjacent the face .open ingis adapted tobe-snugly engaged by .the rear portion of the mask shownin Fig. '7 ofthe drawing.

The upper back portion of thesuit is provided with a large tubularextension 2.6 through which the diver enters and leaves the suit..entrance tube 26 may be formed of the waterproof knitted fabric shown.in Fig. 4 and arranged to t et h-i direqtiqn-inqic t d b hea now inFig. 3, and this tubular member is secured to the back portion of thesuit by the seam I8. After the diver has entered the suit, the tubularportion 26 is tightly closed so that water cannot enter the suit throughthis tube. This may be done by squeezing the tube until it forms acompact bar which may be folded upon itself to form a loop which-'is'tightly clamped in the U-shape metal ,clamp121 shownin Fig.2 and whichhas the sliding clamping bar 28 that is forced into the clamp- ,ingposition by turning the threaded bolt 29.

After the diver has been tightly sealed in the "suit by closing the tube26 in the manner just described, and the mask shown in Fig. 7 has beensecured in place,yin a manner to be described, v -some'air may betrapped in the body portion of the suit. As the diver enters the waterthe pressure of the water will force the suit into snug engagement withall portions of his body. This will cause the air which has been trappedin the ,suit to.accumulate.in. the helmet. It isfdesirable to. get.ridof .this trapped air'and therefore the hehnet is provided with theone-way valve 30 through which this trapped airmay escape from the suit.

Thefacemask shown in Fig. land other views .of thedrawings hasatransparent face ,plate.,3l which is shaped somewhat like a flat disk.that isprovided with a protruding nose portion 32 and an annular flange33. Thisface plateispreferably made from plastic .materialsuch asLucite. To .the flange portions 33 of the face .plate is secured a softrubber ring 34 having a bevelled rear .edgeadapted to conform to thecontour 70f the forehead and chinof-the diver and theopposite sides ofhis face. This ring which en a es the portion 24 .of the suit so as tosurround the .opening 25 .therein, serves to clamp the rubber sheet .24against .the ,divers face and the ,mask should ,be securedso tightly.against the .face that air ,supplied to the interior .-of .the mask will.be nonfined between the face of the diver and the -I. ucite=plate .3lwithout escaping to any appreciable extent from-said .,area.intothemain-portion of the divers-suit or between .the sheet .24 and -,1*.ing 35 into .the water.

.A ,metal strip .35 -is..preferably provided around the flange portion33.01 the face plate over the rubber ring .M and is clamped to thefiange-33 at short intervals .by-the bolts 35. The .parts :33, .39.andfifi are preferably also cemented together so to .provide anabsolutely watertight joint.

.When the .diver wearing the present suit ,is submerged, air underpressure is supplied ;by a hose 31 to the breather bag 33, which is aflexible waterproof ,fabric bag shaped to encircle the hack .of the neckof the wearer as shown. One end of this breather bag is secured to ,-acurved metal tube 39 which leads to the interior of the mask andsupplies air to the mask from the breather bag. The entrance to thistube .39 is preferably provided with a one-way valve so that air whichenters the mask cannot return to the .bag38. The other end of the bag 38is removably attached to the opposite side of the mask. The primarypurpose of the breather bag is to actas a reservoir for the air supply.

Excess air supplied to the diver together with the exhaled air thatexceeds the pressure of the water surroundin his helmet, will pass outof the one-way valve 40 and upwardly through the tube 45 to escape intothe water at the end '42 of this tube.

Themaskof Fig. '7 isnotsecured in place until after thediver hasgotteninto the suit shown in Fig. 3. It is then placed in position over therubber sheet 24 so that the soft rubber ring 34 clamps the sheet 24firmly against the face, the mask is then firmly secured in placeagainst the face of the diver by tightening the straps 43 which radiatefrom the member 44 that engages the back of the helmet. These straps 43engage the metal ring 35 at spaced points as shown and can be tightenedat will. When the breather bag 38 is inflated as shown it will bebuoyant in the water and will tend to rise. In order to prevent it fromrising, it is provided with fastening means 45 adapted to engage rings46 secured to the rear portion of the suit in the collar area.

The knitted fabric coated with rubber as shown in Fig. 4 of the drawingis preferably a fine rib knit fabric having a substantial stretch andhaving the threads close together so that the rubber layer II willadhere firmly to the fabric. The knitted fabric is preferably condensedin one direction while the coating material II is applied thereto tothereby produce a waterproof fabric having a stretch of at least 20%.

In practice good results have been secured by using a rib knit cottonfabric that weighs 3.5 ounces a square yard, and has 25 wales per inchand 35 courses at the face and 35 courses at the back of the fabric perinch. This fabric was stretched in one direction on a tentering machineto thereby contract the fabric in an opposite direction to increase itscapacity to stretch, and while so stretched was coated with a solutionof natural or synthetic rubber suitably compounded to give maximumadhesion of this coating to the fabric. Synthetic rubber such as Buna S,may be used, and if oil resisting properties are needed neoprene or BunaN may be used to form the layer II. The weight of the rubber coating wasapproximately 24 ounces per square yard so that the waterproof fabric ofFig. 4 weighed about 27.5 ounces per square yard. This finished coatedfabric withstood 100 pounds pressure on the Mullin hydrostatic tester.

A suit constructed as above described and shown in the drawings, whichwas worn by a diver 6 feet tall, weighed only 6 pounds without the maskshown in Fig. 7. This light weight,

snug fitting, and highly flexible suit obviously permits the diver muchgreater freedom of move- 6, ment when submerged than does the old typeof heavy, stifi, bulky diving outfits.

Since the present suit is not inflated with air when the diver issubmerged it is much less buoyant than the large, bulky inflated suitsused heretofore, and the stretchable fabric does not need. to confine aquantity of expanding air. The wearer of the present suit does not needa large amount of lead Weight to enable him to remain submerged. A smallamount of lead secured to a belt, not shown, and Worn around the waistis all the added weight the diver will need.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to protectby Letters Patent is:

A one-piece, light-weight, water-tight divers suit that snugly enclosesthe head, body and limbs of the wearer but has a face opening and a reartubular entrance opening through which the wearer enters the suit and isworn in the water in a non-air-inflated condition; said suit being madefor the most part of coated fabric capable of stretching at least 20% inone direction and to a less extent in a direction at right anglesthereto, the coated fabric being formed of a stretchable knit fabriccoated on its outer face with rubber, and the coated fabric being sodisposed in the suit that its principal stretch is in the limb and chestencircling direction, while the rear seat covering portion of the suithas the principal fabric stretch extending longitudinally of the suit tostretch longitudinally at the rear of the suit when the wearer thereofbends forward at the waist.

CHRIS A. OSTBY, JR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 183,521 Week Oct. 24, 1876835,950 Iwanami Nov. 13, 1906 1,289,839 Lowy Dec. 31, 1918 1,363,086Chury Dec. 21, 1920 2,000,898 Donaldson May 14, 1935 2,046,565 Lawton etal. July 7, 1936 2,341,882 Scriggins Feb. 15, 1944

